A senior historian has expressed his surprise over non-inclusion of vast scientific and technical knowledge of the ancient period in our school and higher education curriculums though India was rich in science and technology (S&T) even in ancient times. Expressing these views while talking to ‘The Pioneer’, the Fellow of Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) and a retired teacher of Palahipatti Government Post Graduate (PG) College (Varanasi) Dr Jai Ram Singh said the historians have probably forgotten the great scholar Krushnaji Vinayak Vaze born on December 16, 1869.
Giving a reference of an article of Krushanji published in the ‘Vedic Magazine’ published from Lahore, prior to the Independence, Dr Singh, an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) said Krushnaji had expressed his surprise that there was no reference to the scientific and technical prowess of ancient India in the entire engineering curriculum at that time. “Krushnaji clearly wrote in his article that the technological prowess of cities ranging from the pyramids of Egypt to the Taj Mahal and Konark, to Barbados in Java, Abu Simbel site of Nile in Egypt, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bamiyan in Afghanistan, Ellora and Ajanta in India,†said Dr Singh, adding that Krushnaji also recalled the closed drain system, ghat construction, temples, forts, palaces, bridges etc using structural science skills in India and expressed regret that surprising indifference has been shown on this aspect in Indian history.
Not only this a speech of Krushnaji’s was broadcast on AIR, Madras (February 17, 1945). The eminent scholar had said that in all the research done so far the ‘soul of the subject’ was missing and the same speech broadcast on AIR was also published in Indian Concrete Journal, Dr Singh informed. The Bamiyan Buddhist site built in 2nd century AD in Afghanistan when it was a part of ancient Gandhara state was destroyed in 1980 by the Talibans during Afghan Civil War. Dr Singh further said that Krushnaji had made a list of about 400 ancient Sanskrit texts, which is available on pages 16 to 20 of ‘Hindi Shilpashastra’ (Bharat Itihas Sanshodkak Mandal, Pune). “Some of the texts mentioned in that publication are Vishwamedini Kosh, Shankhasmriti, Shilp Deepika, Vasturaj Vallabh, Bhrigusanhita, Mayamat, Manasar, Aparajit Prichcha, Samarangan Sutradhar, Kashyap Samhita, Vrihat Parashariya Krishi, Nissarah Shigru, Saurasutra, Aaram Rachna, Manushalaya. Chandrika, Rajgriha Nirman, Durgvidhan, Vastuvidya, Yudhjayarnava etc are especially noteworthy,†he said.
According to a senior historian, among these ‘Kashyapa Shilpam’ appears to be the oldest and its edited version was published by Krushnaji from Anandashram, Pune, in which there are a total of 88 chapters spread over 278 pages. “Another publication ‘Arya Shilp’ is from Balshastri Kshir Sagar, Kalika Prasad Press, Pune in which the description of Yantra Shastra is available in 46 pages. Earth Yantra, Water Yantra, Vayu Yantra, Tejo Yantra and Aakash Yantra are mentioned in it. Manasar Vastushastra has been published in English in seven parts by Dr Prasannakumar Acharya. It was published by Government Press, Allahabad apart from Chakradhar’s ‘Mantra Chintamani’ (published from Mathura and Varanasi),†he said.
He said the information in this direction mentioned in the book entitled ‘Yantras or Mechanical Contrivances in Ancient India’ written by Dr V Raghavan and published by the Indian Institute of Culture, Bengaluru, also seems appropriate. Not only this, ‘Encyclopedia Britannica (Vol 14, 5th Edition, 1915) clearly mentions that a needle was manufactured by an Indian in 1545 AD which itself denies the claims of many European scholars themselves about the S&T skills and knowledge of Indians even prior to the arrival of the Europeans, especially the Britishers.
